Panther Fire near Butte Meadows explodes to 10,000 acres

BUTTE MEADOWS -- In the course of five hours Thursday, the Panther Fire northwest of Butte Meadows exploded to 7,000 acres, then grew to 10,000 acres by Thursday night.

It had been 2,000 acres at 10 a.m., according to Cal Fire, but had more than tripled in size by 3 p.m. Fire information officer Capt. Matt Damon said a combination of "fire behavior and better mapping" pushed the acreage up.

The fire, which started just after 9 a.m. Wednesday near Panther Creek, is burning in the Deer Creek and Mill Creek drainages in southeastern Tehama County. It's about eight miles from Butte Meadows.

It was just 10 percent contained as of the last update at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Full containment isn't expected until next Thursday.

A fire camp has been set up at the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico to support the 1,094 people assigned to the fire.

There are 24 hand crews working the fire, with 27 engines, eight bulldozers and five water trucks. An aerial attack was possible Thursday and four tankers and nine helicopters were fighting the blaze.

According to Damon's most recent update, the current conditions at the blaze are "windy and dry." Down-canyon winds are pushing the fire.

The fire is spreading between a moderate and a rapid rate in timber and logging slash.

No one has been injured. There are no structures in the remote area.

Another much smaller blaze, the Cedar Fire, is burning south of Butte Meadows, east of where Humboldt Road branches off Highway 32. It didn't grow during the day Thursday, and was at 55 acres. The fire is about 70 percent contained, according to Damon.

The early morning report said 184 firefighters are working the fire, with 15 engines, three bulldozers and four water trucks. No one has been injured and no structures have been burned.

It was also discovered Wednesday, and full containment is expected Sunday.

Across the Sacramento Valley, another blaze called the 306 Fire is burning off Glenn County Road 306 in the Elk Creek area.

At last report the 306 Fire had burned about 217 acres and was about 50 percent contained. There were 255 firefighters assigned to the five, with 11 engines, one bulldozer and two water trucks.

The fire is mainly being fought by hand crews due to steep and inaccessible terrain, according to Cal Fire.

The Butte County Air Quality Management District reports smoke made county air quality unhealthy Thursday for sensitive groups — the young, the old and those with chronic ailments.

The pollution spiked about 11 p.m. Wednesday, and began declining after dawn Thursday, a common pattern during wildfire season, according to Ursula Parker of BCAQMD.